SC indicates CBI probe in MNREGA irregularities

After Odisha, alleged irregularities in utilisation of MNREGA funds in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh may also come under CBI probe with the Supreme Court Monday saying it will pass an order in this regard.

The apex court, which had earlier directed CBI probe on the irregularities in six districts of Odisha on the basis of survey reports, CAG report and the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), said that it would pass order pertaining to other two states also.

A bench of justices Swatanter Kumar and S J Mukhopadhaya said it would take up the case of alleged irregularities in the state of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh on November 6 and pass the order.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by an NGO, Centre for Environment and Food Security, seeking its direction for the CBI probe into the large scale irregularities in the implementation of the scheme in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

The court had on May 12 last year issued notice to the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh on allegations irregularities and diversion of funds for the MNREGA.

The NGO which had conducted a survey had claimed to have found alleged irregularities in implementation of the scheme.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, brought to the notice of the bench the letters written by Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh to the Uttar Pradesh government about the alleged diversion of MNREGA funds.

The court had on May 12, 2011 directed CBI probe into the alleged corruption in utilisation of MNREGA funds in the districts of Kalahandi, Mayurbhanj, Rayagada, Bhawanipatna, Koraput and Malakangiri of Odisha.